Nick Pasquale, a walk-on receiver at UCLA, died early Sunday morning after being hit by a vehicle in San Clemente, according to an Orange County coroner's report. Pasquale, 20, was in his second season with the UCLA team. He was a graduate of San Clemente High. “The driver called in the accident and waited at the scene,” said Lt. Gary Strachan, a spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's department. “No one was arrested.” Strachan said that deputies were investigating the accident.

The way Maurice Drew sees it, the challenge he faces Saturday does not involve measuring himself against All-American tailback Adrian Peterson but rather against the vaunted Oklahoma defense. "They haven't allowed three touchdowns in a game yet," said Drew, the UCLA tailback who scored three touchdowns against San Diego State and two against Rice. "It's going to be a great challenge to go out there and try to put up points against them."

UCLA will face its toughest challenge of the young season Saturday at the Rose Bowl -- running back Adrian Peterson and 21st-ranked Oklahoma Sooners. Although Sooner Coach Bob Stoops' team has struggled and is off to a 1-1 start, Peterson, at 6 feet 2 and 218 pounds, remains a Heisman Trophy candidate. In last week's 31-15 victory over Tulsa, Peterson ran for 180 of his 220 yards in the second half, when the Sooners chose not to pass.

Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson, in his first public comments since breaking his collarbone in the Sooners' victory over Iowa State last Saturday, plans to play at least one more game for Oklahoma. "I'm praying each night for a speedy recovery," said Peterson, who is hoping to play in a bowl game with the Sooners. "I love to play the game. I would enjoy going out there and playing with the guys."

Santa Anita Derby winner Goldencents was put through his final workout on Thursday morning at Santa Anita in preparation for a start in the Kentucky Derby on May 4. Goldencents was clocked in 1 minute 16.20 seconds for the breeze under exercise rider Jonny Garcia, with trainer Doug O'Neill and jockey Kevin Krigger watching from the Arcadia track's grandstand. "I thought he went great," O'Neill said. "My biggest focus was to have him finish up stronger than he started off, and he did just that.

The NFL took another step Tuesday toward becoming a round-the-calendar league, announcing that its 2014 draft will take place at New York's Radio City Music Hall on May 8-10, two weeks later than it is typically scheduled. Although the league said the change was made because of a scheduling conflict at the famed theater, the NFL has also looked for ways to spread out events over the course of the off-season. The league said no decision has been made regarding the dates or location of the 2015 draft, and that other venues in New York -- and other U.S. cities -- will be considered.

Though USC lost to Washington State last week, the Trojans defense played well for the second consecutive game--this time with help from cornerback Torin Harris. Harris, a senior, had been a reserve behind Anthony Brown and Kevon Seymour in the opener against Hawaii, but he earned the start because both suffered injuries. Harris extinguished a Washington State threat by intercepting a pass in the end zone. He finished with six tackles. Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast said Harris stepped up after playing inconsistently during spring practice and fall camp.